Toyota has shown us the first pictures of the new Proace City - a compact van that shares its structure and engines with the Peugeot Partner, the Citroen Berlingo, and the Opel Combo.
Two length versions
The Proace City comes in two overall lengths - 4.4 metres and 4.7 metres - and both can be had as either three-front-seat panel vans, glass vans, or as a crew-cab. There's a passenger version too (analogous to the Peugeot Rifter or Citroen Berlingo Multispace) with either five or seven seats.
Load volume varies from 3.3-cubic metres to 4.4-cubic metres, depending on which version you go for. Load length also varies, from 3.1 metres to 3.4 metres, and Toyota says that the long-wheelbase model can swallow two EuroPallets, one of the few vehicles in the class that can do so.
You can tow a braked trailer of up to 1.5 tonnes, and there's a choice of rear doors - either a top-hinged hatch, or two side-hinged doors.
'Smart Cargo' front seat
If you go for the three-seat arrangement in the front of the Proace City, you also get the 'Smart Cargo' setup, which includes a folding front passenger seat, and an under-seat bulkhead flap that allows the loading of long items (hence that 3.1-metre load length). If you need to carry really long items, there's also the option of a rear roof hatch, to leave things poking out the top.
For passenger models, there's an option of a modular roof that has skylights to brighten up the interior, plus airline-style overhead lockers. For those carrying kids, if you spec your Proace City with three individual rear seats, they all have ISOFIX mountings for child safety seats.
Safety equipment
Proace City models come with a full suite of driver safety aids, including Pre-Collision System, Road Sign Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Cruise Control and a "coffee cup warning" that recommends the driver takes a break if they have spent a long time at the wheel. There's an eight-inch central touchscreen that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as connected traffic info for the sat-nav. You can also spec it with a heads-up display projecting onto the windscreen.
There's also a rear view camera that provides both a 180-degree and overhead dynamic images of the area behind the vehicle, and a static view covering an even wider (180-degree-plus) area, and a blind-spot monitoring system. There's also a Smart Active Vision system, especially for van models with a full bulkhead, which uses two rear-facing cameras and a five-inch display screen to replace a conventional rear-view mirror.
Engines for the Proace City are shared with the other PSA Group models, and vary from 75hp to 130hp in either 1.2-litre turbo petrol, or 1.5-litre turbo diesel form. Want something a bit more exciting than that? Wait till next year - Toyota is going to offer a battery electric version of the Proace City, as well as an EV model of the bigger Proace.
Commenting on the announcement Steve Tormey, Chief Executive of Toyota Ireland said: "The expansion of our LCV offering and future electrification plans show our commitment to focusing on the LCV market. With customers at the centre of the strategy, we want to offer practical, stylish and innovative products to meet the range of LCV customers' needs. We know that their van is a vital part of their business and Toyota is here to support them. We are looking forward to the launch of the new Proace City to Ireland in early 2020 and expanding our commercial offering."